Refrigerating apparatus



Aug. 3, 1950 L. c. LUNEKE 2,518,344

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed July 6, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

HIS A TTORA/YS.

Aug. 8, 1950 c. LUNEKE 2,518,344

REFRIGERATING APPARATU$ Filed July 6, 194s 2 Sheets- Sheet 2 IN V ENTOR.

2) Lou/s all/Alexa m5- ATRMQNEYS Patented Aug. 8, 1950 omrzao smes oral-cs :Lou'is G. =Luneke, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to ionera! Motors -.C0r p0ration, Dayton, Ohio, :a corporation -.of Delaware Application July-'6, 1948,SerialNo. 3?}251 A iClaims.

*illhiseinventiontrelates tto refrigerating iaipnmta- .tus :and more particularly to household :refriger- 1 It has sbeen :the :practice in the past for owners *of large estates or homes; :having .a :family of :considerable size, to -purchase a single refrigerayc'ooling :of the interior thereof is affected "by a single closed refrigerating system and because the demand for such large refrigerators is low causing resale :thereof to be .difficult and theretore the "refrigerator is highly :depreciable.

:Dnemf the'o'bjects of my invention is to providean improved and relatively inexpensive "re-'- fr igerator installation of great food storage capacity for the plurality of members of families residing in Flargehomes or estates.

Another object :of rmyinventionis to provide a refrigerator installation ifor ilarge :homes of :dif

(ferent food storage arrangements and varied temperatures of food storage.

' Aefurtherzobject of tmyinventionzis to provide a large "unitary refrigerator :insta'llation for homes "wherein :the :food storage chambers or :comparltments thereof .:are segregated from .one another and .:cooled by separate and: independent closed refrigerating systems.

"marrying out theforegoing objects it is a stillizfurth'er and more specific object of my :inventionto detachably lock two :or more com- ;plete, substantially twin, separate and independentzrefrigerators together at two or more points along. similar portions: of the refrigerators to prevent relative: movement :between therefrigerators so-ins 's'tO fform a unitary refrigerator construction .dftigreat food storage capacity and 'to utilize the weight of each-refrigerator to aid in preventing suchrrlativermovement.

'IIur'ther advantages of'the present invention 'millibei'apparent from the following description, reference :bing 'had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form is clearly shown.

ln'the Jdrawings: i

Fig. 1 is a front view of my improved unitary refrigerating apparatusshowin'g the food storage "compartment access :door of one or two locked -'together :cabinets in :open position;

: a2-Iis1an enlarged *rear'x-view 0! "my fimproved iii unitary refrigerating apparatus showing means for locking the iback walls .of the refrigerator cabinets together :Fig. ;3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on the lines-3 of Fig. 2, showing the iock-ingibracefor the cabinetszand-trim pieces for covering the space therebetween;

.Eig. :4 :is an enlarged fragmentary sectional wiew takenon the-line 4-4 of Fig. 2, showing the manner :iniwhich a brace member is secured to .the .back wall of each cabinet;

.Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional uiewfitakenionthe line -5--5 of Fig. 3, showing 'a trim panel spanning the :space between the two refrigerator cabinets;

.Figoisaisectional view taken on the line 6-6 .of .Fig. 13, showing means for securing a :cap over the catch :portions of :a latching mechanism on the zcabinets;

Fig. {7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional wiew'taken ion the line 1-1 of Fig. 2, showing a zbrace membersecured latatwo or more points to the bottom of :a cabinet; :and

:Fig.:8-;-'is an enlarged sectional viewtaken on the dime =8-e8 :of .Fig. 2, showing a spacer secured to cornerscofthecabinetsopposed to the corners ithereof which'are secured together as disclosed in:Fig.7. 7

:Referring to the 'drawings,.for illustrating the present invention,;Ithaveashown in Fig. 1 'a-uniitary refrigerating apparatus comprising dual refnigeratorzcabinets 1'0 and"! I .detachably butrigidly :locked together inside by side relationship iii-amanner and for purposes to be hereinafter more ;;spec'ifically .described. Each refrigerator lcabine'tds complete in itself in that it includes innersandzouter metal walls l2 and I 4 respectively having a suitable insulating material therebetween and forming :a food storage compartment pr compartments I5 therein. The front wall of eachxcabinet I10 and H isprovided with an ac- .cess opening normally closed "by a hinged door 11-6. The cabinets Ill and II are twins with respect atO outer dimensions thereof and one cabiunet iszprovided with 'adleft hand opening door while the other is provided with a right :hand ripeningidoor,"-as-'shown. Below the food storage compartment l-5 of each cabinet l0 and ii there is provided-is. :machine compartment H -(see Fig. .2) opentat-the-back and bottomrand closed atithe 'ITOITIJTOI the cabinets by ,a closure member l8 rtseei ig. 1). Anrangle .lron frame is is welded .or otherwise ssuitablyaseoured to the bottom edges :of :the outer upright .cabinet side walls H! (see i-zElgs. '1?! and28). zcorner gusset :plates 2| welded to the frame l9 receives gliders or the like 22 for supporting the cabinets. Each cabinet l and II has a closed refrigerating system associated therewith including a cooling element or an evaporator for cooling the interior of the food storage compartment such for example, as the evaporator 25 located in the compartment |5 of cabinet III and connected with a refrigerant translating device which may comprise a motorcompressor unit and a condenser (not shown), but normally mounted in the machine compartment I! as is common practice in the art. The refrigerant translating device circulates liquid refrigerant, under the control of a suitable or conventional valve or restrictor, to the evaporator 25 wherein the refrigerant is vaporized, to remove heat from the food storage compartment, and the vaporized or evaporated refrigerantis withdrawn from the evaporator by the device for reliquefaction.

Each cabinet H] and II has two or more horizontally spaced apart threaded disks -3| welded or otherwise suitably secured to the back wall 23 thereof (see Figs. 2 and 4). A one-piece channel-shaped brace member 34 extends continuously across at least a portion of the back walls 23 of each cabinet! and and is provided with holes through which a bolt 35 extends and is threaded into the threaded portion of the disks 3| on the cabinet back walls. The bolts 35 tightly clamp the brace member 34 at two or more points, to each of the cabinets i6 and H. A base plate or brace member SLspaced from and extending in a lateral direction substantially at right angles to the brace member 34, is secured at two or more points (see Fig. '7) to the bottom of each cabinet l0 and H (see Fig. 2). This base plate member 31 has turned up edge portions 38 and is secured by screws 39 to two of the supporting gliders 22 on each cabinet as shown in Fig. '7 of the drawings. The supporting gliders 22 are bolted, as by nuts 32 to the cabinet gusset plates 2|. It is thus apparent that the cabinets I0 and II have their bottom walls at adjacent corners thereof securely locked together by the base member 31. and 3'! to cabinets NJ and II at two or more points along similar walls thereof these individual spaced apart cabinets are rigidly locked'together against relative movement therebetween to provide a unitary refrigerator structure. The corners of the cabinets IE] and H, remote from the corners thereof which are supported upon and locked together by the common base 31, are also raised to a level corresponding to that established by using the base 31 by a small plate 31a secured to the gliders 2211 by. screws 39c (see Fig. 8).

In order to cover the space between the cabinets and II, to enhance the appearance of the structure, and to emphasize that the structure is intended to be'a unitary construction, movable as a unit, I provide trim panels which engage adjacent portions of the top and front walls of the two' cabinets and bridge the space therebe tween. The top closure panel 4| 'has a down turned front portion 42, which extends to a point slightly below the top of cabinets Ill' and H (see Figs. 1 and 3), and has its doWn-turned'back end secured by screws 43 to the upper end of' a rear supporting member 44. The rear supporting member 44 has its lower end sec'ure'd 'to'the channel-shaped brace 34 by bolts (see Fig. 3). A cross or centering metal piece 45 is secured .to'the rear supporting member 44 near the: top

By securing the two brace members 34 of the cabinets and its ends engage a. portion of the back of each cabinet l0 and H (see Figs. 2 and 3) to prevent movement of the top trim panel 4| forwardly of the cabinets. A front closure panel 46 is provided with an open space 41 intermediate its top and bottom ends 48 and 49 respectively which receives a projecting catch portion of a latching mechanism mounted on each cabinet l0 and II. The opening 41 in front trim panel 46 permits the panel to be fitted upon the structure without interference by the catch portions of the latching mechanisms on the cabinets. A rearwardly extending web member 56, having legs 5| welded to the back side of front panel 46, is provided with a squared open socket portion for the reception of a squared stud 52 having a threaded hole extending therethrough. A metal piece 53 adjacent the stud 52 spans the space between cabinet I0 and cabinet H and has its ends abutting against the inner ends of the catch portions of the latching mechanisms on the cabinets. A short screw 54 is threaded into the threaded stud 52 and has .its head engaging a back side of web member 50 to prevent movement ofthe stud 52 outwardly of its mounting socket toward the front of the cabinets. A long screw. 56 passes through a hole in metal piece 53 and is threaded into the other end of stud 52 to secure a cap 51 to the front panel 46. Cap 51 has side openings permitting entrance thereinto of a part of the latch mechanism on each cabinet door l6 so that this part of the mechanism will engage the catch portions on the cabinets to maintain the doors l6 in closed position. The upper end 48 of front panel 46 overlaps and is secured to the end of the downturned portion 42 of top panel 4| by screws 58 (see Fig. 3). These screws 58 are concealed beneath a narrow horizontally disposed trim strip 59 which may be snapped or otherwise suitably secured in place upon the panels. The base plate brace member 31 has an L-shaped piece 6| welded thereto (see Fig. 3) and the lower end 49 of front panel .146 is bent inwardly and secured to the piece 6| by screws 62.

The trim or cover panels 4| and 46 may be of any suitable shape or contour in cross-section to provide them with the desired structural strength. For example, the long side edges of the top panel 4| are folded back upon itse1f as at 66 (see Fig. 5) and then bent downwardly as at 61 at least along the top of the cabinets. The edges of front panel 46 may also be folded back and provided with inwardly directed flanges 68 to which the legs 5| of web member 50 are welded (see Figs. 3 and 6'). The supporting member 44 at the rear of the'cabinets may also be provided with inwardly directed flanges 69 to strengthen same. It is to be understood that the trim or cover panels may be painted or coated'witha porcelain enamel corresponding to the finish pro-'- vided on the cabinets l0 and II. The structural strength afforded panels 4| and 46 by the bends 66 and flanges 61 and 68 are merely to prevent warping or bending thereof, since the locking of the cabinets l0 and II rigidly together is dependent upon fastening of the brace members 34 and 37 at two or more points alon similar walls of each cabinet and by the weight of at least a portion of each cabinet supportedon the common base 31.

While the cabinets are described as twins relative to their outer dimensions, they may be entirely different in interior food storage arrangement and temperature. For example, the cabinet l0 may be of the single .compartment, uniform temperature type, whereas cabinet Il may include a plurality of compartments each maintained at a different temperature relative to one another. Such a construction would afford a user varied food storage arrangements and a plurality of differently temperatured food compartments in a unitary structure. In other words the interior arrangement of the dual cabinet unitary structure disclosed may be predetermined so as to provide various combinations in accordance with the requirements of users of such an apparatus so long the cabinets are of substantially the same exterior dimensions.

It will thus be apparent that I have provided a large improved unitary refrigerating apparatus comprising individual cabinets, each cooled by separate and independently closed refrigerating systems, so as to permit varied food storage 'arrangements, different temperatures within the individual compartments and detachment of the cabinets from one another'in order to re-sell the same as smaller complete refrigerators at any time the apparatus may be desired to be replaced by new and more modern refrigeration equipment. In my improved apparatus the separate and individual refrigerators are locked together at two or more points along two similar walls thereof, and the weight of one refrigerator cabinet aids in holding the cabinets against relative movement therebetweenrlto provide a unitary structure. The arrangement of my improved structure permits food products in one of the cabinets, or at least those products which are highly perishable, to be transferred to and temporarily stored in the other cabinet should one of the separate closed refrigerating systems fail to function properly. In this manner spoilage of the entire food supply within my improved refrigerating apparatus is prevented, whereas it might be lost in a large refrigerator wherein a single refrigerating system cool all of the interior thereof. v,

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A unitary refrigerating apparatus comprising, two refrigerator cabinets positioned in side by side relationship, each of said cabinets being provided with a food storage compartment and a machine compartment, :each of said cabinets wment for. circulating refrigerant to and for withdrawing refrigerant from said evaporator, a brace member extending continuously from one all on each cabinet to securely lock the cabinets together, and said second brace member forming a common-base supporting at least a portion of each cabinet whereby the weight of said cabinets on said base serves to augment said members in preventing relative movement between the cabinets.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein a trim panel has its ends secured to the brace members and abuts adjacent wall portions of the cabinet to close the space therebetween.

3. A unitary refrigerating apparatus comprising, two refrigerator cabinets positioned in side by side relationship, each of said cabinets being provided with a food storage compartment and a machine compartment, each of said cabinets having a closed refrigerating system associated therewith including an evaporator for cooling said food compartment and a refrigerant translating device mounted in said machine compartment for circulating refrigerant to and for withdrawing refrigerant from said evaporator, a brace member extending continuously from one I cabinet to the other across a substantial portion of the back wall of each cabinet, a second brace member extending continuously from one cabinet to the other across a substantial portion of the bottom of each cabinet in a direction at right angle to the extension of said first named brace member, said members each being attached to said cabinets at two or more points on each cabinet to securely lock the cabinets together, and said second brace member forming a common base supporting at least a portion of each cabinet whereby the weight of one cabinet on said base serves to augment said members in preventing movement of the other cabinet relative to said one cabinet.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein a trim panel has its ends secured to the brace members and abuts adjacent wall portions of the cabinet to close the space therebetween.

LOUIS C. LUNEKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 742,950, Yeiser Nov. 3, 1903 1,975,823 Alden Oct. 9, 1934 2,414,588 Elliott Jan. 21, 1947 2,429,294, Pollock Oct. 21, 1947 2,444,887 Wyeth July 6, 1948 

